Iran's threat to regional infrastructure a 'dangerous escalation,' analyst warns

Bahraini analyst Ahmed Alkhuzaie has labeled Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's threat against regional infrastructure as a "dangerous escalation in rhetoric." Ghalibaf, speaking on social media, warned that if Iran's security is not guaranteed, "no one will sell oil, and no infrastructure will be safe." This statement follows a week of Iranian attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Kuwait and Bahrain, including a power plant, a water desalination facility, and Amazon's central data infrastructure.

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in a region where we do not sell oil, no one will sell oil. If our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe…

Alkhuzaie elaborated that Ghalibaf's remarks signify a shift from previous claims that only U.S. assets in Gulf states were targeted. "This shift collapses the distinction between American bases and the sovereign economies of Gulf nations, effectively placing the region itself in Tehran's crosshairs," he told The Jerusalem Post.

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Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s remarks represent a dangerous escalation in rhetoric. By declaring that ‘no infrastructure will be safe’ and tying Gulf oil exports to Iran’s own ability to sell crude, he has moved beyond the earlier claim that only US assets in Gulf states were being targeted.

However, Alkhuzaie also advised against interpreting Ghalibaf's pronouncements as definitive indicators of Iran's actual intentions. He characterized Tehran's threats as often "exaggerated" and aimed at generating "psychological pressure and political theater" without concrete plans for execution. "The promise that Gulf states themselves would remain untouched while only US assets were at risk has always been a rhetorical shield, not a credible policy," Alkhuzaie stated, adding that historical escalations by Iran have resulted in regional, indiscriminate, and destabilizing consequences.

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This shift collapses the distinction between American bases and the sovereign economies of Gulf nations, effectively placing the region itself in Tehran’s crosshairs.

Alkhuzaie concluded that Ghalibaf's words should be viewed as a continuation of Iran's established pattern of using maximalist threats to project strength, while disregarding practical implications.

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The promise that Gulf states themselves would remain untouched while only US assets were at risk has always been a rhetorical shield, not a credible policy.